Why aren't some of my taps producing?

[Flatfoot95]

I am new to this maple gig. I have about 100 taps that I put in 5 days ago and another 50 that I put in 2 days ago. In the last two days the 50 new taps have produced over 70 gallons of sap. The other hundred have only produced about 20 in the 5 days. What gives? Most of the hundred are single tap reds but there are some mature sugars in there with 3 and 4 taps in them, they are not producing either. Any suggestions..?

[Fred Henderson]

Just hang in there. Everyone is in the same boat. The air,ground and trees have got to warm up. If some of your trees are shaded that will prevent them from running. The whole tree has to warm up, not just the top finger branches.

[maple flats]

I have the same thing with my woods trees giving very little and my roadsie trees still not producing as they are cappable under ideal conditions. If they ever do i will have a hard time keeping up but still want that problem soon.

[SteveD]

We have it wierd here too...tremendous variation.... I have one tree that has produced 5 gallons (out of two taps)in 24 hours.. and others that are just plain "dry". :?

[lew]

It depends on where your trees are as well as the weather conditions. Do your trees lie on a north facing slope? That could be why you're not getting much sap from your first batch of trees. We had our first run this past Thursday night. The trees decide to open up for some unexplicable reason. Not a great run but just a little over a gallon a tap. We are all tubing in 5 different woods, but all of the woods have easterly or southern exposure. There are other producers in the area with north facing slopes that won't tap until everyone else has been making syrup for 1 to 2 weeks. These northern exposures just won't thaw out as quick as the southern exposures. But the northern slopes generally run a little later.

[Flatfoot95]

Thanks for the replys. The first batch of trees still only produced about 2 gallons today....the other fifty pushed out 40 gallons or better in 24 hours. Some of the ones not producing are on a south facing slope....I am considering pulling some of the non producers and tapping some more roadside trees that I have access to.

[ibby458]

I wouldn't bother pulling any taps. Most likely, the dry trees will start later and finish later. THat'll help extend the season for you.

I have several sections that run later in the season, but finish later, too. I even occasionally get a tree or three that NEVER puts out a drop, for no reason that I could see. Others look to be poorer trees, but gush like they have garden hoses in them.

It's all part of what makes sugaring fun & exciting!

[mapleman3]

Ibby that is so true, I too have some trees the are the Picture perfect stand alone sugars that are dry from the day I tapped, and some mangy looking ones that I was leary about tapping and they are pouring out almost 5 gals out of 2 taps... go figure hopefully the others will catch up soon